


5 Times Zuko was Comforted with a Touch and 1 Time He Returned the Favor

by Fletcher_Of_Mirkwood



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Friendship, Hugs, Minor Mai/Zuko, Post-Episode: s03e14-15 The Boiling Rock, Sick Character, Sickfic, They're all friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29253372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fletcher_Of_Mirkwood/pseuds/Fletcher_Of_Mirkwood
Summary: Zuko wakes up to find he's caught the stomach bug from sewer duty at Boiling Rock.The Gaang helps him out for the day.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Kudos: 116





	5 Times Zuko was Comforted with a Touch and 1 Time He Returned the Favor

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I struggled to find the wording for the title. Basically, Zuko gets some positive, friendly, touch from his friends to comfort him. So not necessarily a hug, but something similar.  
> I hope that makes sense?
> 
> Thanks for stopping by!  
> Lily

Toph felt the ground stir more than usual. It was still nighttime, she could tell, because barely anything else was moving. She sat up and planted her feet on the ground. A few feet away, someone...no Zuko, was tossing and turning in his sleep. It was probably a nightmare, not a stranger to any of them, but still, she should check up on him since she was already awake.

"Sparky," she whispered. "Sparky?" She took a few steps towards Zuko. 

"Toph?" He whispered back after a moment. "I--I need water." She heard him sit up, but instead of standing, his right palm slammed to the ground on the side of his bedroll, and she heard him retching. 

"Hey!" She said loudly. Running over she helped Zuko hold himself upright enough to continue heaving. "A little help over here!"

Aang was the first one awake, judging by his light footsteps. "What?" He whispered coming over. Zuko was just sort of panting now. "Zuko are you okay? What--woah!" In the dim moonlight, Aang had nearly stepped on the vomit. 

"Obviously not, Twinkle Toes," Toph replied from her position behind Zuko. "He's sick. Wake up Katara and get some water." Aang scurried off. In her arms, Zuko was trembling. "Hey, Sparky," she whispered to him. "You're gonna be fine. It's just a little stomach bug." 

He huffed at her. She affectionately punched his right arm, which was still supporting him. It gave way and nearly toppled him, but Toph pulled him into a hug from behind instead.

***

"Katara, Katara," Aang whispered, gently shaking his friend. 

"What?" She asked groggily. 

"Zuko's sick. He just threw up everywhere. Toph gave him a little water and I think made a wall for him to lean on." 

"Ugh, okay. I mean, I don't know if I can heal a sickness, but I can try." She sat up, stretched for a second, grabbed her bending water, and walked over to Toph and Zuko. 

Aang followed, summoning fire in his hand for light. With his other hand, he air bent the vomit over the edge of the cliff. Zuko was indeed propped up on a slab of rock with his bedroll as his pillow. Toph was sitting next to him. 

Katara walked over to the newly clean area and knelt beside her patient. "Stomach bug?" She asked curtly. 

"Yeah," Zuko mumbled, pushing his bangs off his sweaty forehead. "Probably got it from sewer cleaning duty at Boiling Rock."

Aang cringed, and so did Toph, but Katara kept her frosty demeanor. "Hmm." She bent her water around her hand and pressed it against his stomach. 

After a moment and some glowing light, Zuko's face relaxed a little. 

"Better?" Katara asked. 

"Yeah, my stomach settled. Thanks."

"I don't think I cured you, but maybe you can go to sleep easier. I think you just have to ride this out for the day." Katara returned the water to her bottle. "For now let's all just rest." 

"I'll stay up with you until you fall asleep," Aang offered. "Just in case you need anything." 

"I'll be fine," Zuko said. 

"It's no problem." Aang took his friend's hand in his and squeezed. "You're not alone." 

Zuko squeezed back. "Thanks."

***

Sokka woke up after a good, long night of sleep. The escape from Boiling Rock had taken a lot out of him, and it was great to finally get some rest. Yawning loudly and stretching, he realized that out of his closest friends, he was the first one awake. Very odd. 

Then he saw Zuko sleeping upright against a new rock formation with Aang splayed out beside him and found that really strange. Clearly, he had missed something. 

Not wanting to wake anyone just yet, he tip-toed over to the sack of fruit for breakfast. He waved good morning to the Duke. 

"Sokka," he heard faintly from behind him. He turned to see Zuko awake. 

"Hey man," Sokka walked over. "Did something happen? You want some fruit?"

"No," Zuko replied quickly. "I mean, yes something happened, no I don't want fruit. I got the stomach bug from sewer duty." 

"Aw man, that's the worst. How can I help?" 

"First, stop eating you're making my stomach churn." Sokka sheepishly lowered the papaya from his mouth. "Second, I need to stretch my legs." 

Sokka placed his breakfast on the ground and pulled his friend up. 

Zuko groaned and took a few deep breaths, probably fighting off nausea. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Zuko kept his grip on one of his friend's arms and took a few steps towards the campfire. There was still some sticks in it, so Zuko took the opportunity to light them on fire. He nodded in satisfaction. 

Evidently, that was a mistake. Zuko's face immediately scrunched up. "Hey, why don't you sit back down?" Sokka suggested. 

Zuko squeezed Sokka's forearm affirmatively, and they slowly turned about face.

One step. Two. Oh, nope. 

Zuko doubled over and heaved, thankfully not on Aang, but close enough to wake him. Sokka caught Zuko before he toppled over. 

"C'mon," Sokka mumbled, pulling his friend up and over to the rock. 

"'Morning," Aang said cheerfully, again neatly cleaning up the area. "Katara said to rest, Zuko."

"Yeah, I know." Sokka grabbed the nearby waterskin and helped him take a sip. He leaned back on the rock and closed his eyes. 

"Just try to sleep a little," Sokka said. "I'll be right here if you need anything."

Zuko popped his good eye open. "I don't need a babysitter. You should spend time with your father." 

"It's okay. Toph and Katara can train Aang in the morning and we'll swap in the afternoon." 

"You shouldn't have to miss out--"

"I want to help--"

"Boys," Suki cut in, coming up from behind her boyfriend and touching his shoulder lightly. "Why don't I stick around Zuko ,while Sokka and Katara spend time with their father, and Toph and Aang can train."

Sokka exclaimed, "Really? Thank you Suki!" Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Not that I--"

"We get it," Suki answered. "Go catch up with your Dad." 

Sokka hugged his girlfriend and knelt down to clasp forearms with his new best friend. "I'll check in on you later."

***

Suki was soaked in sweat. To pass the time, she had done her usual workout, stretching and going through forms. Zuko had dozed through most of the morning, but while he was concious, he had watched her closely and made one or two comments on technique. They were constructive, not harsh or mean. 

She didn't know how to reconcile the person who burnt down her village and countless others with the person who broke her out of jail. 

But if Sokka and Aang had done it, then she expected she could do it too. 

Tired, Suki decided to take a break. She went to fill her waterskin and took Zuko's along too. 

"Here, drink something," she told the firebender. He took the watersking from her outstretched hand and took a sip. Suki drank half of hers in one go. 

She sat down next to him, on a spot that he hadn't previously thrown up on. 

"How do you feel?" She asked him.

"Better." They lapsed into silence. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Suki whispered back. She gripped her waterskin, filled with trepidation.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "For whatever I or the Fire Nation has done to hurt you. It wasn't right, and all I can do is apologize and promise to do better." 

Her heart softened a little and she lightly touched his shoulder. "You're already doing better. Thank you for helping me escape." 

***

When Katara came back with her brother to check on Zuko, she found him talking with Suki. So she was on his side too. It made sense, seeing as he had played a big part in her rescue, but Katara still felt uneasy about having him here. There was no telling what was going on in his mind. 

"Suki, Zuko," her brother called loudly. "How was your morning?" 

"Pretty chill," Suki said back. They were close enough now not to shout. 

"And you?" He asked his friend. 

"Good. I think I can eat something," Zuko replied tentatively, his eyes flickering towards Katara for a moment. 

"Why don't you let Katara heal you again, first, just in case?" Sokka suggested, looking pleadingly at his sister. 

"It didn't really work last night..." Katara began. For some reason, she was reluctant to help him, even though she knew that she should. "But I can try."

Sokka dragged Suki off for food, and Katara made her healing hand. "Alright, ready?"

"Yeah," Zuko said. After a moment's pause, he ventured, "Did you have a good morning?" 

She replied with a simple, "Yes," and started heading. It only took a few moments. Afterward, Zuko thanked her and slowly stood up. 

For a split second, he looked the same as he had coming back from Boiling Rock, tired, a little bed-raggled, and determined. She knew she had to say something. "I didn't get a chance yesterday to thank you for bringing my father back." 

"It was Sokka's idea, I was just along for the ride." 

"But you're the main reason everyone made it out. If Mai hadn't...well...she must love you." 

"She does," Zuko said quietly, avoiding Katara's eyes."I--I left with just a note, it was wrong, but I had to go. She was mad, but she still gave up her freedom for mine. I miss her." 

Katara's mouth hung open a little. She didn't know what to say. Zuko had never said anything about Mai before, let alone profess any feelings. "You'll be with her. In a few weeks."

"Only if Aang wins."

"Aang will win." Katara said this with every confidence, but she saw the worry written on Zuko's face. She rested her hand on his upper arm to comfort him and pull him towards the others. "C'mon, let's eat something."

***

Zuko approached the campfire slowly. After eating a little fruit for lunch, he had cleaned himself up and taken another nap. He felt a lot better and wanted to thank his friends. But he wasn't sure how. 

"Hey," he said to all his friends. He sat down in between Toph and Aang. 

"How are you feeling, Sparky?" Toph asked. "Last time we spoke you were spilling your guts out." 

Zuko snorted out a laugh. "I'm good now." He leaned over to Aang. "Which means firebending training tomorrow." Aang groaned comedically.

They sat and joked for a little while, happily telling Zuko and Toph about the first time the other three had met Suki. After a while though, they fell silent and decided to sleep. 

"Uh, before we go to sleep," Zuko began, nervously looking around the fire. "Thanks for helping me out today."

"No problem!" Aang said. "Group hug?"

"Uh--" Aang and Toph didn't give him a chance to respond. They just went in for the hug. "Okay."

Zuko put his arms around the younger ones, and the older three joined in a moment. 

Inside the bubble his friends made around him, Zuko felt warm. Firebenders were naturally warm, but this was different. He felt comfortable, he felt good, he felt loved, and he hugged his friends all the tighter for it.


End file.
